PIL A- E1

Question 1

Define biomedical research.

Answer 1

1. The study of specific diseases/conditions.
2. The design of methods/drugs/devices used to diagnose/support/maintain an individual during and after treatment for specific disease and conditions.
3. The scientific investigation required to understand the underlying life processes which affect disease and human wellbeing.

Question 2

How does the Home Office promote transparency?

Answer 2

Collect and publish data annually -> Annual statistics of scientific procedures of living animals of GB (part of ASPA)

Question 3

How does research use of animals compare with other uses such as consumption?

Answer 3

Animal usage in research almost negligible compared to consumption
(fun fact, pet cats in the UK kill approximately 25 times more animals than research does)

Question 4

Different uses of animals from most to least common.

Answer 4

Created > basic research (nervous and immune) > regulatory > translational (infectious disease and cancer)

Question 5

Different species used in research.

Answer 5

60% mice, 14% fish, 12% rats, 7% birds, 6% other, 1% specially protected species

Question 6

Bands of procedure severity.

Answer 6

5 distinct bands.

Severe // Moderate // Mild // Non-Recover // Sub-threshold

Question 7

Counter: Research on animals is not relevant to people.

Answer 7

Biological similarity between humans & mammals.
Human diseases often in other species.
Molecules & genes in animals similar/same function in humans.
Use similar meds in vets/hosp.

Question 8

Counter: Animal testing is unreliable- Drugs have different effects in animals and people.

Answer 8

E.g. Thalidomide; caused birth defects but was never tested in pregnant animals before released and when it was found similar effects

Question 9

Counter: Many pointless, unnecessary animal experiments are carried out.

Answer 9

All animal work needs ASPA approval; harm-benefit analysis, no repetitive studies, local ethical review.
Limited funds mean each proposal is rigorously assessed.

Question 10

Counter: Laboratory animals suffer great pain and distress.

Answer 10

If severe stress will occur must be justified & give anaesthesia and analgesia when able.
Non-harmful procedures (breeding/diet/behaviour) carried out with anaesthesia

Question 11

Counter: Use of animals is unnecessary because equivalent information can be obtained buy alternative methods.

Answer 11

Alternatives (simulations/epidemiology) are used to provide leads & wherever possible
BUT need animal experiments to verify in vivo efficacy.

Question 12

3 R’s

Answer 12

1. Reduce –methods to minimise number of animals used in experiments.
2. Refine – methods that minimise suffering and improve animal welfare.
3. Replace – avoid the use of animals in research.

Question 13

Contractarian

Answer 13

“Morality is based on agreement”
Ethical obligations originate in mutual agreements or contracts between people.
Non-human animals cannot make agreements therefore they neither create nor have moral duties. However, we may have indirect ethical obligations towards animals, because they can matter to other humans.
E.g. “to improve the quality of animal research, one should be concerned about animal welfare.”

Question 14

Utilitarian

Answer 14

“Morality is about maximizing human and animal well-being”
Morality is a function of goodness. Must consider welfare consequences for animals as well as potential benefits for humans
E.g. “some animal research may be justified by its vital importance, as it may enable us to find cures to alleviate painful diseases”

Question 15

Relational

Answer 15

“Morality grows out of our relationship with animals and one another”
Emphasis on ethical importance of relationships between animals and human beings, and between and among humans. Have duty to animals because they are in our care.
E.g. “A dog is a man’s best friend, so it should be treated better than animals on farms and in laboratories.”

Question 16

Animal Rights

Answer 16

“Good results cannot justify evil means”
There are fixed ethical rules that place limits on our treatments of animals – there are some things we are not permitted to do whatever the circumstances. Animals have rights just as humans do.
E.g. “Experiments on animals are unacceptable, regardless of the potential benefits involved.”

Question 17

Respect for Nature

Answer 17

We have a duty to protect species, and the integrity of each species.
We should not genetically modify species, since that involved disrespectful interference.
E.g. “We should leave animals the way evolution made them.”

Question 18

What gives humans rights? (the flawed reasons)

Answer 18

Species membership? (But why that matters is precisely what’s under consideration!).
Humans have souls? (Can go both ways: and that’s all a bit spooky anyway).
Humans have minds? (Are we sure that nonhumans don’t?).
Humans have intellect (But not all - and not only humans: pigs, chimps &c).
Ability to suffer (Not only humans).

Question 19

What is the main focus of the modern debate on what gives humans rights?

Answer 19

Personhood carries much of the weight in modern debates, but is hard to pin down definitionally – has something to do with having a life of a particular sort (self-awareness, concern for future…).
But - Marginal persons  right not to be euthanised = political right, not fundamental.
= speciesism? Cases: Chimp (Tommy) New York judge, orangutan, hep C vaccine on chimp.

Question 20

Replacement

Answer 20

Methods that avoid or replace the use of animals where they would have otherwise been used.
In some cases, relative replacement (replacing the use of live ‘protected’ vertebrates with vertebrate cells or tissues, early-life stages or non-vertebrates) has been implemented as a first step to absolute replacement.

Question 21

Reduction

Answer 21

Methods that minimise the number of animals used per experiment or text by enabling researchers to obtain comparable levels of information (of a given amount and precision) from fewer animals (thereby avoid further animal use).

Question 22

Refinement

Answer 22

Methods that minimise any pain, suffering, distress or lasting harm that may be experienced by the animals, and improve animal welfare. Refinement applies to all aspects of animal use from the housing and husbandry used to the scientific procedures performed upon them.

Question 23

What are non-protected immature forms in the EU?

Answer 23

Embryonic and foetal mammals, birds and reptiles up to the last third of their gestation or incubation period, larval forms of amphibians and fish until they can feed independently and cephalopods until the point at which they hatch.